Agitating and dispensing means



Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to agitating and dispensing means.

The invention is particularly concerned with agitating and dispensing means for substances of a relatively thick consistency such as, honey, tomato-sauce, mustard, molasses, mayonnaise, chili-sauce, ketchup and the like, and is in the form of a simple attachment which can be readily applied to or removed from containers for agitating and dispensing any oi such susbtances therefrom.

The agitating and dispensing attachment in accordance with this invention is particularly adapted for use with bottles or jars containing any of the above noted substances, which are intended to be tipped from normal vertical position for direct deposit of the injected contents onto a plate or food contained thereon.

I am aware that devices of this general character have heretofore been proposed, However, such prior proposed constructions were adapted to dispense liquid and semi-liquid substances from containers when in normal vertical position only whereby it was necessary to separately convey the dispensed substances to their intended points of application or use.

Furthermore, most of such prior proposed devices were of complicated construction and of such form that they were not adapted for use with varying sized containers, including narrow necked bottles such as the usual ketchup containers.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a combined agitating and dispensing device which is adapted for ready application to aid removal from containers and which is so constructed that the contents of such containers can be readily dispensed only when the containers are in inclined positions and whereby the contents of the containers can be agitated or mixed when the containers are in either their normal vertical positions or when in inclined dispensing positions,

A further object of the invention is the provision of a combined agitating and dispensing device ior removable application to containers of variable Width mouths, thereby being readily combination with a container cap and including a manually operable screw closely surrounded by a tube, the cap being of variable size for removable connection with variable sized containers and the tube being so constructed that contents of a container can be agitated when the container is in normal vertical position but the contents can be dispensed upon rotation of the screw only when the container is in a position substantially inclined to the vertical.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the above noted general character which is simple in construction, durable, and highly eflicient in use.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of cooperating parts as hereinafter set forth and defined in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a bottle showing the improved device operatively associated therewith, the device being shown partially in elevation and partially in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure il1ustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation view of one of the essential elements of the improved device.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 disclosing a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring now with more particularity to the drawing, and referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3 thereof, B designates a bottle which is representative of one of many different forms with which my improved device is adapted for detachable connection to agitate and dispense various substances which may be contained therein.

The improved device forming the subject matter of the instant invention is unitary in character for connection with or removal from the bottle as a whole and for thispurpose includes a cap III which as indicated, is of the screw type, but may be of other types, dependent upon the character of the top or neck of the particular bottle with which the device is intended to be used.

The cap is centrally apertured as at H adjacent the margin of which is suitably secured the upper end of a tube l2. The tube may be formed of thin metal of any suitable kind and is preferably of a length to extend to the bottom of the bottle B as indicated in Fig, 1.

A pouring spout I3 is provided and which as indicated is substantially oval shaped and may comprise two portions of spoon-shape secured together at adjacent edges. The spout I3 is provided with an aperture M of a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the tube l2 and is suitably secured to the cap it) adjacent the margin of the aperture thereby providing a unity structure including the cap, tube and spout. The

spout I3 is provided with a somewhat smaller.

aperture IS in vertical axial alinement with the aperture M for a purpose later to appear and the otherwise closed spout is cut away as at I6 for discharge of the contentsdispensed from the bottle B.

An elongated conveyor screw ll of a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the tube I2 is removably disposed within the tube and includes an upper tension I8 extending vertically through the spout l3 with the extension terminat ing in a threaded portion l9 extending through the aperture I removably receiving a crank for manual rotation of the screw within the tube.

The tube I2 is cut away at one side thereof at its lower end providing an inlet opening 2| and the tube is also cut away adjacent its upper end providing a combined feed and vent opening 22. The opening 22 is preferably in the side of the tube diametrically opposite the opening 2| but may be in the same side, if desired.

The construction thus described is readily attachable to the bottle by simply screwing the cap I0 onto the head of the bottle with the tube and associated propeller screw depending vertically within the bottle and upon removing the cap l0 and crank 20 the screw I! can be readily removed for cleansing when desired.

The bottle B which may contain ketchup or the like is sealed against the atmosphere when the device is applied as in Fig. l and with this device the bottle is adapted for use as ordinarily, that is, by tipping the bottle to bring the spout I3 into proximity to a plate or food on which it is desired to deposit a desired quantity of the contents of the bottle.

The opening 22 is preferably disposed at a point above the surface of the bottle contents and thus with the bottle in normal vertical position the contents can be thoroughly agitated or stirred by turning the crank 22 and rotating the screw I1 within the tube l2. In this operation the ketchup or the like contents will enter the opening and be conveyed upwardly within the tube I 2 until it reaches the opening 22 whereupon it will flow back into the bottle. This will cause a circulation of the contents with a resulting, thorough agitating or mixing thereof.

When, on the other hand, it is desired to dispense a quantity of the contents, the bottle is grasped by one hand and tilted to bring the spout into proximity with the point of intended deposit with the result that the level of the contents is so displaced as to be above the opening 22 and upon turning the crank 20 with the other hand, a measured quantity of the contents will be dispensed through the opening [6 in the spout l3.

If the bottle is nearly full, both openings 2| and 22 may be below the surface of the contents which will not be objectionable, the upper opening 22 will, however, assure substantially complete re 0 moval of the contents upon proper tipping of the bottle.

The structure, according to Fig. 4, is substantially the same as that above described, being modified only to the extent as to be adapted for use with a jar J.

In this form a cap Illa is provided for sealing the jar J and the agitating and dispensing device is otherwise the same as in Fig. 1, except that the tube l2a and screw l'la are shorter for extension into the shallower jar J.

It is to be noted that in this form, the device is substantially off-center with respect to the jar to facilitate pouring of the jar contents.

The device may include caps of different sizes and forms for sealing various forms and sizes of bottles and jars and the tube and screw may be readily cut off if too long for support within any particular container.

It should be appreciated from the foregoing disclosure that a combined agitating and dispensing device is provided in accordance with this invention which is highly simple struction, durable and eflicient in operation.

by the use of the improved device commo tic: such as ketchup which are subject to settling may be thoroughly mixed for uniform consistency when the container is in normal vertical position, but can be dispensed only when the container is tipped or inclined for depositing the contents directly upon a plate or food desired to have seasoned.

While I have disclosed certain specific embodiments of my invention, such as are to be considered as illustrative only, and not as restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined in the sub-joined claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. A device for agitating semi-fluid substances in and dispensing same from a container comprising a cover for removable connection with the container, a tube secured to the cover for suspension within the container, a propeller screw rotatably supported within the tube, a pouring spout in communication with the upper end of the tube, means to rotate the screw, a substance inlet opening at the lower end of the tube, and a combined substance vent and inlet opening adjacent the upper end of the tube, said screw extending through said tube to a point above the combined vent and inlet opening.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the pouring spout is elongated transversely of the screw, and wherein the upper end of the screw extends through the spout.

3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the said openings are arranged diametrically of the tube.

4. A substance agitating and dispensing device comprising an elongated tube for suspension within a container with the lower end thereof adjacent the bottom of the container, a substance inlet opening at the lower end of the tube, means within the tube and operable exteriorly of the container for drawing the substance through said opening and vertically within the tube, an opening adjacent the upper end of the tube for discharge of the substance within the container when in normal position and for admission of the substance when the container is inclined to its ejecting position, and a screw conveyor extending from the bottom of said tube to a point above the last mentioned opening.

5. A combined semi-fluid agitating and dispensing device comprising a cover for removable connection with a container, a tube connected with the cover for vertical suspension within the container, a pouring spout in communication with the upper end of the tube, a rotatable conveyor within the tube, means for manually rotating the conveyor, an inlet opening adjacent the lower end of the tube for admission of the semi-fluid substance to be elevated in the tube by said conveyor, and an opening in the tube adjacent the upper end thereof for discharge of the substance in the vertical position of the tube and for admission of the substance when the tube is inclined at a substantial angle to the vertical, said conveyor extending from the bottom of the tube past the second opening and to the top of the tube.

COD"

EDWARD F. NYE. 

